The effects of endurance training on alpha-actinin 2 and 3 in skeletal muscle of male Wistar rats

  Alpha-actinins are members of the family of actin-binding proteins that play a key role in the survival and regulation of cytoskeletal structure, especially muscle cells. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the effect of endurance training on the expression of alpha-actinin 2 and 3 proteins in the skeletal muscles of the plantaris and Gastrocnemius muscle of Wistar rats.

For this purpose, 16 male Wistar rats were divided into 2 groups: endurance training and control.  Endurance training groups for 12 weeks, 5 sessions per week at a speed of 12 to 22 meters per minute and with a slope of zero degrees and observed the principle of overload training, worked on the treadmill. Western blotting was used to measure alpha-actinin 2 and 3 of the plantaris muscles and Gastrocnemius muscle. Independent t-test was used to analyze the data and the significance level was considered 0.05.

The results of independent t-test showed a significant difference in alpha-actin 2 (p = 0.001), alpha-actin 3 (p = 0.001) in the Gastrocnemius muscle and alpha-actin 2 (0.006). Alpha-actin 3 (p = 0.001) was observed in plantaris muscle.

In general, endurance training increases the alpha-actin protein 2 and 3 in the skeletal muscles of male rats, and it can be said that due to the response of these proteins to the control group, this type of exercise is a good stimulus for muscle adaptation.